The exosuit of the Dark Unit opened with the sighs of a giant. Setting the foot of her Armor on the ground, the Wau took inventory of her duties: establish a resistance on Lennox, found a Xeno alliance with Ada, convince the Brotherhood of the Two Worlds of a collaboration, visit a Dark Galaxy… but before all that… a briefing with the Wau Council.
My Brothers are strangely silent in the face of events.
The Wau passed through the Entangled Gate, arriving into the silence of the Sanctum. A silence that was like noise in negative, as if activity were even lower than usual. She passed through the main gate, sat in the communications room, and summoned the Council for the second time.
Two minutes, and the first screen lit up. Five minutes, and they were all there. Always that astonishing responsiveness. At least, the Aleph hadn't taken them.
- "Are you all present, my Brothers?" asked Cassandre from within the Armor. - "Yes," one of them replied, without hesitation. - "Are you aware of the situation of the HS regarding the arrival of the Aleph?"
A longer silence than usual. One screen froze in the center, that old and aged voice, feminine, declared:
- "Yes." - "We are used to working each on our own," said Cassandre. "But in this exceptional situation, I thought it might be useful to modify the rules. I propose that we collaborate to contain the Aleph."
Another silence. Then a response:
- "Certain procedures cannot be changed," said her interlocutor. "Moreover, I believe everyone here thinks you can handle the situation yourself. If you think it needs to be handled."
- "Let me choose my words," said Cassandre, struggling with emotions she thought she had forgotten. "A sentient being, perhaps a human, perhaps a Xeno, has taken absolute control of the HS and possesses powers greater than those of a Transient. You are proposing that I oppose him. If I think it's necessary? But what about you - what are you doing?"
- "We each set our own missions and objectives," declared a younger voice in the background.
- "Is there any mission more urgent than this one? I don't understand my position. Nor yours."
- "You are free, as we are, to set your objectives. But you don't need to tell us yours, and we don't need to tell you ours, that's all."
- "But are we at least collaborating together?"
- "Yes. In particular, you have the support of us all."
Cassandre lowered her head, then rose, with a certain fury.
- "Our mission is the common good, isn't it? This is the greatest crisis humanity has ever known! Absolute power in a single man, with a criminal record of the highest order!"
- "It's far from the greatest crisis the Wau Order has ever dealt with," said the aged voice. "The Order was there during the Black Death, which wiped out a third of humanity."
- "During the Cold War of the 20th century," said another, more roughly.
- "During the first AI rebellion of 2100," the younger voice continued. "And during the rise of the death cults of 2199, which led to a 20% population decline."
- "Let us not forget our distinguished predecessor who gave his life sealing the continent-laboratory of Lancaster during the bioterrorist weapons crisis of the 26th century."
- "Examples of desperate crises are legion, and the Wau have always faced them. Our brothers here cited examples of victory, but defeats are at least as numerous. Our methods are disconcerting, but believe me, Brother, they are optimal."
- "You say you support me," said Cassandre, "but you did nothing when I was thrown into an arena to fight a Transient."
- "Look within yourself," said the older voice. "What would you have done in our place?"
Cassandre tried to calm herself. It was true. A Wau against a Transient - the Wau was doomed. Intervening would mean losing two Wau.
- "I offer my apologies," said Cassandre. "That said, I am quite alone."
The others spoke to reaffirm their support, one by one. But Cassandre - the Wau - felt her head spinning, pulled along by her last sentence, resonating with recent innuendos and self-evident truths.
She interrupted the litany of support:
- "You are all dead, aren't you? There is only one Wau. It's me. And you, you're in the After."
A telling silence followed. No need to say more.
The aged voice made her armor vanish. The others followed - their black and gold armor disappeared. Men, women… some bearing features that recalled her own.
- "The Wau Order - or the Wreksis - has always included members of the same very large family," said the oldest. "For the first millennia, genetics was crucial, and the Order was matrilineal. With science, we were able to enrich our already brilliant heritage with exceptional beings. And yes, there is only one Wau per generation."
- "Why only one?"
- "One is enough."
- "Even those who failed? Like the one from Lancaster?"
- "There is no form of failure among us. We support you in all your decisions and outcomes, until your death. We are your family! Your parents are not among us, but some of your ancestors are."
- "Why the secrecy?"
- "Because if you had known you were alone, you would have acted differently."
- "And now that I know?"
- "Nothing will change, because you have learned in the right way, the best way: by yourself. Discovering the solitude of the self - that is the North of the compass."
- "You are useless," declared Cassandre defiantly.
- "We have a wealth of experience. Centuries of crises. We respond to each of your calls."
Cassandre stood up.
"You've always feared that I might abandon my emotions, dear ancestors, isn't that so? Let me reassure you: I do have emotions, right now. Contempt and anger in the face of your little games and your mediocrity. You will never see me again. If there is only one of us per generation, then be sure the Wau Order will die with me. I will make sure of it personally."
And the Wau left the Sanctum forever.